Donation to assist students tackling environmental issues

Bruce
Shirreff, left, and Dr. Noreen Golfman.

By Jennifer O’Neill

Graduate students pursuing study or research in environment-related
disciplines received a $400,000 boost in financial aid from TD Bank
Financial Group on Feb. 8, following an announcement of a donation
now representing the largest endowed graduate student bursary
offered at Memorial.

TD’s support enables Memorial to address an urgent need to
build its number and level of graduate awards. In 2008-2009, only
79 graduate students – three per cent of the graduate student
population – received donated financial support.

“A key pillar of Memorial’s Strategic Plan is to grow
our capacity, impact and reputation in research. Increasing the
number of graduate students, especially those in PhD programs, is
critical to achieving that goal,” said Dr. Loomis. He added
that the impact of TD’s giving is important not only to the
future of Memorial, but to the sustainability of the planet we all
share. “Through this generous gift, Memorial will be able to
offer more competitive financial packages to attract the best
students wishing to pursue advanced studies and research on the
environment.”

TD’s Bruce Shirreff said that the donation, which is also the
largest single philanthropic contribution TD has ever made to
Memorial, will strengthen Memorial’s ability to provide
higher education opportunities for students, and will have a
lasting impact on our environment for years to come. “The
environment and Canada are forever linked, and we recognize the
growing need to provide students with access to funding so we can
advance our country’s expertise in this important
field.”

Dr. Darin King, provincial minister of Education, thanked TD for
their support, and spoke of the important relationship Memorial has
with the province. He issued a challenge to other corporations and
individuals who may not yet be part of the Memorial
“family” to support the university’s
initiatives.

“The more we can get support like this, the more we can do
great things at this university and continue to expand upon the
things that we’re doing,” said Dr. King.
“What’s happening here is just phenomenal.”

Dr. Noreen Golfman, dean of the School of Graduate Studies, says
the donation will go a long way in supporting graduate-level
environmental research.

“Our graduate students benefit from a range of
interdisciplinary programs under the tutelage of expert faculty
members,” said Dr. Golfman. “This funding will not only
enable scholars to advance cutting-edge research projects, but will
also make it possible for deserving students to focus more on their
academic pursuits without the burden of financial
obstacles.”

TD’s donation is timely given that this year marks the 20th
anniversary of the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD
FEF), a not-for-profit organization that has been supporting
grassroots wildlife and environment projects in communities across
Canada since 1990. The Newfoundland TD FEF chapter has provided
$200,000 to support more than 120 local projects over the past 20
years. Those projects include environmental programs for children,
trail restoration and protecting wildlife species that are at risk.
With support from customers and employees, TD is involved with a
host of national, regional and local causes benefiting diversity,
arts and culture, and other community programs. In 2009, TD donated
$37 million to more than 2,500 organizations across Canada.